Difference Maker?

With the NBA training camp weeks away, the time has come to see if the Chicago Bulls investment in Derrick Rose will pay off.

Rose was the number 1 pick this past June in the NBA Draft. Some say that Rose is the point guard of the future because of his quickness, strength, and mature point guard IQ. Others say that his jump shot needs a lot of work and that he will not be able to flourish in a Chicago Bulls uniform. What I say is that Rose is a huge step into bringing the Chicago Bulls back to a respectable franchise. Everyone knows about Rose. Everyone knows about the back to back high school state championships and his mature leadership at the point guard position while he was at the University of Memphis. Rose has always proven his game, whether it was at Murray Park on Chicago's Southside or in front of thousands of screaming fans in the NCAA Championship game, Rose has lived up to the hype.

Now is the opportunity to show the basketball nation again that he can continue his dominant abilities. The Bulls were in desperate need of a lot of tools in order to rebuild their team. Inconsistent guard play by Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon and Chris Duhon led to the decision by general manager John Paxson to draft Rose. With the signing of Luol Deng , who agreed to a multi-year deal worth around 70 million dollars, the Bulls made the decision not to bring guard Ben Gordon back. With Gordon's contract negotiations going nowhere during the summer months, Gordon simply said in a quote to ESPN Magazine "I guess it's safe to say I've played my last game in a Bulls uniform". Gordon, who lead the Bulls in scoring in the last three seasons, was unable to bring any defensive presence on the court. So out with the old and in with new is the attitude that embodies the Bulls franchise.

As a point guard, Rose possesses the rare ability to combine speed and power with the basketball. He will have low post veteran Drew Gooden and wingmen Larry Hughes and Luol Deng to ease the transition into the NBA. Head coach Vinny Del Negro, who still is a unknown person in Chicago, will be patient with his young phenom. Del Negro should have many ways to implement Rose into his new offense .

The point guard is the catalyst for many NBA teams. The game of basketball has become very reliant on floor generals and quick guards . Drafting a Derrick Rose puts the Bulls into the category of a New Orleans Hornets and Utah Jazz. These franchises have great point guards on their teams that make them better. These guards also attract a huge fan base within their city and throughout the NBA. Rose is backed by an eager city that has watched him blossom since high school. Being in the public eye doesn't affect Rose because of his strength and guidance of his family. Having three older brothers helped Rose distance himself from the evils of Chicago's Southside streets.

As each day passes by, training camps will be close to opening and the excitement is growing for the Chicago Bulls. Everyone is on edge to see the stoic phenom take the floor and return glory to this city. But be patient, inorder for a Rose to be beautiful, it needs to grow.



Be Peaceful

• Congratulations to team USA! They defeated Spain in the gold medal game of the 2008 Beijing Olympic games. This huge accomplishment returns America to the top of the basketball world.